One of the pitfalls of designing a course is that the designer does not consider the user into the plans, or thinks they know better than the user.

I have had trouble in the past with this issue. My circumstance was such that it lended itself to that very attitude. I was teaching very young students (Kindergarten in Korea - age 5-6), and I was teaching students a second language that happens to be my native tongue. It is hard to accept that very young children speaking a second language you grew up speaking have much to offer in the way of helping you design lessons and content. However, much like 'satisfying the cat', I still had to make them learn and happy. I am seeing that more clearly now. The only feedback I generally used was how engaged the students were and their facial expressions. I am now teaching older students and redesigning the class I am teaching, so it has been thrust upon me how important good learner feedback is. Especially now that we are scaling it up to more classes.

I generally use quite a bit of verbal interaction for feedback. I ask the students as much as I can what they thought of certain things. I have done that a lot this year in regards to the online environment I have been trying out. I realize that is not enough though. First, many students are too shy or not interested enough to offer a response. This means I could be missing a large percentage of my students' voices that might disagree with the students who are talking to me. Secondly, I am trusting their honesty when they speak to me directly. Some students will likely exaggerate one way or another based on my presence. They know I am looking and listening to them, and that can alter the feedback for better or worse. And finally, they are put on the spot because I ask them when I have time, not necessarily when they are ready to answer. I have a schedule to follow and meet, so I cannot accept responses on their terms. In other words, even when trying to avoid this pitfall, I am still not getting the whole picture.

This year, I am planning on creating many opportunities for students to offer feedback, so I can get the best possible information. I will still ask, but I will also have surveys and discussion options for students. The surveys offer anonymity and the discussions offer flexibility.

The final pitfall is how to use the feedback. I think some teachers that collect good data might still fall into the cherry-picking pitfall. Getting good feedback from your users does not work well if the only feedback addressed is what fits with what you wanted to fix anyway. This is a common problem for people and data/statistics in the first place. I will try and be as objective about the feedback as possible and accept that there might be things I will not be comfortable with that still need to be done. I am not talking about unacceptable things the students request, but a style of teaching I am not comfortable with or lessons, games, or materials I am not used to using.

I think the best way to avoid these pitfalls is to accept that everything we design to teach with is a river that is temporary. If we can accept that, we just might not hold on to certain aspects of our instruction too hard and we will be able to change with the feedback and times.

I find it funny that I keep coming back to a quote (though unconfirmed) by Coco Chanel, "Get dressed, then take one thing off." She was speaking of women's habits of over-accessorizing, but I feel it can apply to almost anything. Design something, then be prepared to throw some of it out, or change some of it without being too attached. This is the way design will work best.

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see." (Martin Luther King jr.)

Woman on the Bus

A woman looks at her phone on a bus in downtown Seoul, 2015

Seoul Protest 2015

People from around 120 unions and groups organized the protests on Saturday, December 5th, that saw thousands marching through downtown Seoul. Many people carried signs that said roughly "listen to the people" as they feel the current government is not working for the people but for the Chaebol (large corporations).

Mask Dance

Thousands took to the streets to protest several government plans in Seoul on Saturday, December 5th. They were told not to wear masks because of the "threat of ISIS". The protesters responded by wearing thousands of masks, some dancing traditional samulnori along the way.

Shoulder View

Getting a better view of the traditional Korean dancing at the Bupyeong Festival, this girl sits on dad's shoulders.

Angled Emotion

A man picks up recycling in the city while a little girl pouts in the doorway behind him.

Framing the Street

Tucked into an alley in northern Seoul, graffiti hides as people walk past.

The Clown

A performer prepares to entertain children on Children's Day at Children's Grand Park in Seoul.

Yellow Dust Love

A couple gets intimate during yellow dust season in Myeongdong. "Yellow Dust" is the polluted air that drifts from the Gobi Desert, picking up coal pollution over the cities of China, to Korea.

Rock Reflection

Cape Disappointment, Washington

Launch Pad to the Universe

The Milky Way jetting up from the peaks at Colonial in the North Cascades, Washington

Watercolor Sky

The colors of sunset above Eastern Jeju Island, South Korea

The Race

Two shooting stars race across the night sky at Liberty Bell Peak, Washington

Mt. St. Helens

From Johnston Ridge

The Girl with the Mask

"Park Geun Hye resign" is written across her mask. She speaks loudly without noise in the crowd f nearly a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12

Monk in the Front

A million people took to the streets on 11/12 to protest the president in one of the largest protests in Korean history. Many religious leaders joined together to hold signs that read "Park Geun Hye resign"

Man with Candle

One of a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12, holding a candle for the vigil and marching to show his support of the president stepping down.

Helping Hands

These girls help this man light his candle as night falls over approximately a million people in the streets of downtown Seoul on 11/12.

Anti-Government DJ Spinning

A DJ spins music for the crowd of protesters on 11/12 as they march against the president of Korea.

A Family Marches

A family marches with candles during the protest on 11/12 that saw a million people spill into the streets of downtown Seoul.

Flying

Flying on the shoulders of her father, this girl had a VIP view of the million person protest against the president on 11/12

Spectacle

Overlooking the crowd in the square, a man surveys the scene. Lights, musicians, food stalls, and a million people peacefully protesting the president and chanting in waves, "Park Geun Hye resign".

Tiring Protest

A little girl yawns on her father's shoulders late into the night as they continue to march against the president.